It has long been known to house electrical fixtures such as switches and receptacles in an electrical outlet box. The outlet box permits the insertion of electrical wires into the box which are terminated to electrical fixtures. The fixtures then may be mounted to the box which provides protection to the fixtures as well as the wires terminated therein. The outlet box is then mounted to a wall stud at a convenient location to provide access. Most outlet boxes accommodate one or more electrical fixtures which terminate standard 110 volt electrical wires.
It has also become necessary to terminate communications wires for such purposes as data, voice and signal transmission. While terminations are not required to be housed in an electrical box, as are electrical terminations such as switch and receptacles, aesthetics and convenient usage has dictated the need to place the communication terminations in close proximity to the electrical terminations.
The art has developed various boxes and housing which provide for both the accommodation of electrical terminations as well as communication terminations. Examples of outlet boxes which house electrical terminations and also support communication terminations are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,354,953; 5,646,371; and 5,598,998. As seen in these patents, the electrical termination is separated from the communications terminations by a solid wall. Typically, this wall is formed by the outside wall of the box which houses the electrical terminations where the electrical terminations are held inboard of the outlet box and the communications terminations are supported outboard of the outlet box.
Common practices and the need to use standard uniform components to cover the outlet box and provide for the ability to readily interconnect to the terminated wires requires that the distance between the electrical termination and the communications termination be fixed. Also, relevant electrical codes dictate the minimum distance that the receptacle need be spaced from the side walls of the outlet box. In the electrical outlet boxes, the art has seen the need to increase the total interior capacity of the box so as to accommodate larger numbers of wires and terminations. With respect to dual voltage boxes, it has become difficult to simultaneously increase the usable interior space of the electrical outlet box while maintaining proper spacing between the electrical termination and the communications termination. Attempts to adjust the receptacle within outlet box may result in the receptacle being positioned either too close to one of the side walls or outside the required distance from the communications termination.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide electrical outlet box which provides increased capacity meets applicable code requirements and which is capable of accommodating dual voltage terminations.